Take your child to school on the
first day and keep participating throughout the school year.
I’m a divorced father, educators in public education over 20 years, instructor
in higher
education and community activist. I understand the importance of fathers in
their children’s
lives and see the devastating effects if fathers are not involved and the
encouraging growth
of children with involved and active fathers. Mothers are important in schools,
but fathers
can create a paradigm shift in the educational atmosphere that leads to higher
graduation
rates, lower dropout rates, decreased pregnancies and decrease in school
violence.
One of the
responsibilities fathers are tasked with, the education of children.
Traditionally it
is not the woman’s job to educate; her job is to nurture and show the emotional
aspect of
growing up. Because of this understanding and the work to diminish school
violence, the
largest back to school enterprise in United States’ history will happen
as school starts. The Million Father March will invite fathers, grandfathers,
foster fathers, stepfathers, uncles,
cousins, big brothers, significant male caregivers and family friends to take
children to school
on the first day of school. On Million Father March Day, Tuesday, September 4,
2012 or
before when respective schools start in August and September. "To
educate a man (and woman) in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to
society." (Theodore Roosevelt)

Fatherhood is a responsibility of
unending change and humbling experiences. Fathers go
through adaptation as their children mature and pull away from the closeness
and security of home. The evolution of the family shows that there are more
fathers that are stepfathers,
surrogate fathers, adopted fathers and "oops" fathers. This shows
that fatherhood is changing
in designation, but fathers are
important to children and influence behaviors and attitudes.
This school year more than ever fathers are going to have to; "Man-up,
Step-up, Own-up,
and Fess-up" to their responsibilities and participate more in schools. It
is not enough to attend athletic events, provide peep talks, promise material
rewards or even setting almost unachievable
goals. Fathers must be visible and involved in schools to stop growing academic
failures and
work to stop increasing school violence.

Being a father includes making
decisions not just for themselves, but for the child or children
in their lives, sacrificing for their families and building their communities. Children
are born
into the world that requires fathers to review their accountabilities and responsibilities.
Child rearing is never an easy thing in life, fathers must understand that the
world is changing and
their children need them to be active and involved. It can be seen in our
schools which are
a representation of society; fathers cannot be selfish in their actions and
choices because
they are models to their children and children that see them as idols.

A father must provide guidance in
wisdom, by sharing how important education is, that
there is value in learning. Fathers need to show up at the school house and
speak with teachers,
administrators, coaches and tutors to make sure their child or children are
learning and
not being a disruption to the learning in classrooms. A father cannot do this once,
he must be diligent, involved and importantly consistent. The Bible says in
Hosea 4:6 (NKV), "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."

This can be extended to children unsupported, unguided and lead astray. Fathers
must show
good judgment openly to their children; it is up to fathers to show that life does
not have to be violent, thuggish, angry or lonely. Fathers do not let
entertainment icons, rappers, musicians,
and television athletes raise your children. As Charles Barkley once said
parents should be their
children’s role models not television athletes.

How different would children's lives
be if fathers were as strong with children as the enthusiasm for sports teams
or other recreational outlets? It is interesting that advertisements are
rampant for fathers to buy football tickets so there won't be blackouts of
football games, drink assortments of beers, but few commercials encouraging fathers
to be more involved in the schools where future athletes and scholars will come
from.

Men love to model behavior for their children; true behavior comes in the
relationships with children. How many men display the same amount of dedication
and devotion in
relationships with their child that they are responsible for that they show for
their sports teams?
How much of a difference would it make in children respecting their mothers,
being successful
in school and contributing to society if fathers are actively modeling.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJ), "Train a child in the way they should go, and when
they are old they
will not turn from it." The unfortunate reality is too many children are
being lead into the
juvenile justice system where they loose their identities and treated like
human capital
with more value on their imprisonment and less on t heir enlightenment with
education.
There should be no schools struggling or failing because fathers need to be involved,
show more interest, more accountable for their child or children's academic
involvement.

This is a defining moment in schools, young men particularly in today's society
need to
hear words of love, acceptance and dedication from their fathers. There are two
institutions
that desire children; Educational and Correctional. It is up to fathers to
guide their children
to the correct institution of educational growth which leads to a life of
independence and productivity. The Million
Father March, fathers must realize the
responsibility of their
place in a child's life regardless if they are in the home or not, regardless of
the distance
between father and child through divorce or separation. This new school year
should be
more than just anointing heads with oil and prayers, more parents especially
fathers involved
in the schools to make sure children are successful.

Malcolm X stated, "Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow
belongs to the
people who prepare for it today." If children are not prepared then
parents are to blame if they are not involved as they should be. It is
inexcusable for fathers not taking time to eat lunch with their child, or visit
their child's school; fathers should know who their child's teacher is, what
grade the child is in and the name of their child's school. They should attend
PTA meetings, Schools Advisory Council meetings, School Board Meetings and
Parent / Teacher Conferences.

Fathering is a stability of prayer, discipline, love, negotiation, trust and
communication;
fathering does not come easy. Look in jails; look at the dropout rates to
see the failures of
non involved or non caring fathers. It will take the interaction of fathers to
step up and become involved in their children’s life to guide them in the
direction that builds character, a thirst for knowledge, value of hard work for
success, educational attainment and building of communities.
Fathers be involved, be committed and be encouraging.

Back To School Million Father
March
needs fathers involved and dedicated to the schools their children are enrolled
in. Contact your
child’s school to complete volunteer applications, chaperone applications,
learn about their
lunch hours and special events.

William Jackson, M.Ed.
About.me/WilliamDJacksonEdwardWatersCollege and Duval County
Public Schools